Negotiate Now
Page 3
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TT is now quite obvious that Britain's exclusion from membership 1 of the European Economic Community has not materially affected the growth of international road transport from Great Britain to the Continent. In fact, movements across the Channel have continued to grow this year. This situation is liable, however, to be affected—at least so far as public hauliers are concerned— once the Community begins establishing its overall quota control of international traffic between member countries. Eventually, all such traffic will be licensed through the E.E.C. Commission.
Where, therefore, do British hauliers stand if we continue in isolation as a nation? The basic answer is that there is no provision for us in the quota system; but, in fact, that is not the whole case. It is expected that the E.E.C. will soon publish proposals for non-member countries to engage in road transport into the E.E.C. These may or may not be satisfactory to British operators. Meantime there is another avenue to explore, as suggested in London on Wednesday by M. Robert Georgen of the Commission's transport directorate; it is that of negotiating agreements with individual E.E.C. member countries to allow our vehicles in. The Ministry of Transport and the Road Haulage Association should start such negotiations now.
Even if no tangible results appear, the mere fact of negotiations being in progress will strengthen our hand when the horse-trading starts. If, however, Britain can match proposals with bilateral agreements, our hand is very powerful indeed.